It Takes a Village: Practical Steps in Supporting Black Youth’s Mental Health
By: Gabrielle Sylvester and Elisha Arnold
During the second edition of the Black Joy in Community Series on November 8th, 2023, we had the honor of hearing from the inspiring youth speaker, Nona. Courageously, she shared her personal experiences with mental health challenges, providing a narrative that resonated with the daily struggles encountered by many Black youth navigating various stressors. Nona's story deeply resonated, emphasizing the urgency for practitioners, clinicians, educators, and parents to recognize signs of mental health challenges and offer support. In response to this imperative, Dr. Paul Harris delivered a keynote address, presenting practical and actionable steps to identify mental health challenges among Black youth. Dr. Harris’ insights are especially valuable, addressing a common difficulty faced by parents and community networks in effectively supporting their children's mental health. This is particularly crucial given the disparities in mental health treatment and the externalization of mental health symptoms in different ways for Black youth. There is also the underrepresentation of Black mental health professionals, contributing to the under and misdiagnosis of Black youth. It is essential to listen to the experiences of Black youth and empower parents, caregivers, and community networks to advocate for the mental health needs of Black youth. Dr. Harris’ keynote can be broken down into three sections:
Recognizing signs and symptoms: Dr. Paul Harris begins by emphasizing the significance of identifying signs and symptoms of mental health issues in Black youth. It is crucial to acknowledge and take prompt action. By observing persistent changes in behavior and mood, we can initiate the first crucial steps in identifying potential mental health challenges. Dr. Harris urges us to pinpoint specific signs, laying the groundwork for proactive support of mental health.
Disparities in Mental Health for Black Youth: In discussing the mental health challenges of Black youth, Dr. Harris focused on depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and psychotic disorders. He highlighted the issues of underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. With regard to misdiagnosis, Black children are disproportionately diagnosed with conduct, disruptive, and impulse-control disorders. Clinicians lacking the cultural competence to interpret the behaviors of Black youth within their sociocultural context place stigmatized labels on them that lead to dissociation within educational environments.
Actionable Steps to Support: Finally, Dr. Paul Harris outlines practical steps for schools and families to proactively enhance the mental well-being of Black youth. Recognizing the urgency of early intervention to prevent self-harm and harm to others, he underscores the importance of fostering a supportive community environment. His recommendations encompass encouraging students to seek assistance from school counselors, advocating for improved mental health resources in schools, and emphasizing the significance of affordable crisis stabilization services, weekly counseling sessions, and support groups. Dr. Harris also stresses the creation of safe spaces for Black youth to openly share their struggles without judgment and highlights the value of community program involvement, such as the YMCA. Implementing these actionable tips can lead to community members actively supporting Black youth. Black youth confront heightened challenges to their mental well-being due to structural oppression. While adopting adaptive strategies in response to stressors, it is crucial for the community to commit to addressing this issue to provide the best support for our youth.